Remote walk against uranium mining in WA

A major union is vowing to overturn Labor leader Mark McGowan's decision on uranium mining.

Earlier this year, Mr McGowan softened Labor's anti-uranium stance, saying if the party wins power at the State election it will not close any mines that have already received final approval.

South Australian company, Toro Energy, is within a whisker of that deadline.

It hopes to open WA's first uranium mine near Wiluna and is expecting the project to be approved by the end of the year.

But Steve McCartney from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union says the union will be lobbying hard to reverse Mr McGowan's decision.

"Our main objections are we don't want our members exposed to uranium," he said.

"We believe it's unsafe. We believe that this is an industry we don't need in Western Australia."

The union's comments come as anti-nuclear protestors trek about 200 kilometres from Yeelirrie to Leonora to protest against uranium mining in Western Australia.

It may seem like a futile gesture, trying to raise awareness in one of Australia's most remote locations.

But, the protestors, who have come from across Australia to take part in the walk, believe the event is all the more important given this week's sale of WA's largest uranium reserve, Yeelirrie, to Canadian uranium producer, Cameco.

Brisbane retiree, June Norman, says she is taking part in the walk because she is worried about Australia's future.

"I'm really really concerned. I have grandchildren and I have great grandchildren and I want them to live in the beautiful country that I've grown up in and my children have grown up in and at the rate things are going, I worry about that," she said.

The State Government has welcomed BHP's sale of Yeelirrie, saying a mine is more likely to go ahead under its new ownership.

But, it will not be WA's first uranium mine.

That honour looks set to go to Toro Energy.

The Environmental Protection Authority recommended its project be approved in May.

A special committee, which was charged with scrutinising that decision and the nine appeals that it attracted, is expected to make a final recommendation to the Environment Minister Bill Marmion by mid September.

Toro's Managing Director Greg Hall believes the Australian community now understands that uranium mining is not a threat.

"It's new to Western Australia, there is a lot of debate and there has been a lot of debate but I think there has also been a change in the public stance here," Mr Hall said.

"The sort of fear campaigns that were generated in the 1980's in South Australia just haven't come true. So the public now sees that these projects are run well, they're managed well."

"We're making a commodity which is saleable on the global market and it provides employment."